Daily Republican., 1887-08-20
BURNED AT SEA.
The Steamer Oity of montreal Destroyed
In Mid-Ocean-A Missing Boats Load.

The Steamer Oity OF MONTREAL destroyed
In Mid % cean-A Missing Boats Load.
QUEENSTOWN, August 19.-Tse
steamship York City arrived here TO-
day from Baltimore and reported the
burning nt sea OF the Inman Line
City of Montreal, from New
York for Liverpool. The York City has
on board all of the passep gers aud crew
OF the III fSted steamer except IL, who
are supposed to have peIished. The
steamer was burned on the l1th instant,
hve days from New York, and her pas
ssngers were rescued by the York City.
A boat containing six passengers and
seven members OF the crew 10 missing.
The occupants of this boat are the thir-
teen persons reported to have persisted.
She had 420 passengers on board. The
passengers and crew Of the Montreal
were taken off the York City by the tog
Moant Etna and landed ut Queenstown
BREAKING QUE OF THE FIRE.
1t is learned chat shortly after the
passengers had gone to bed on the night
OF the 10th, the ship being in latitude
AZ degrees north at the time, they were
aroused by an alarm Of FIRE. A scene
of CONSERVATION enBued. The smoke
caused by the FIRE was suffocating. The
passengers dressed and got on deck ss
quickly rs possible and with but little
appearance Of panic.
The fire originated in the cotton stor
ed in the after main hold. Nine
streams OF water were soon working On
the flames and the course of the vessel
was shaped towards Newfoundland,
four hundred miles dista Mt,
The flames spread with great rapidity
and soon had burst with terrific force
through the midway and after matches,
the heat being intense. 1t becoming
evident that 1t was impossible to save
the ship, a momentary panic enaued.
All attention was then given to lower
ing the boats and they were rapidly
filled. The boats soon scattered and
one entirely vanished.
ENTERING THE BOATS
The boats were eight in number and
consisted of four life-boats and four
pinnscles. These were launched and
stocked with provisions. The flames
spread with great ierceness, and the
were futile. At o'clock In the morn.
leg the passengers were marshaled on
deck, preparatory to entering the boats.
AAhay Va bhoh W0hO "oopAhES cup w
the whole they were quiet and orderly.
The women and children were first put
aboard the boats ard the male passen
gers and the crew were embarked after.
wards. The lack Of tins proven ted
the manning Of the beats with their 70.
spective crews, the men being com
PEELED to continue until the last moment
the work Of keeping the flames down.
All the boats left the ship safely, but by
an unfortunate oversight 20 people were
left aboard the burning vessel.
Every body spent the night aboard the
German bark Trabant, Captain Sheel,
from Charleston July "a for London,
and all were then transferred to the
York City, which stayed by thrc ughout
the night and vainly searched for The
missing boat.
Tho passengers and crew lost every
, thing they had aboard the City of Mon
I treal, except what they stood in wLel
> they went into the boats.
! The York City proceeded to Lor don
. which, port she was bound for, alta
landing the survivors OF the burnet
steamship at Queensto w.
f AWAKENING THE PASSENGERS.
The night Of the 10Th was unusualis
} hne, and many OF the passerge re-.
ma!ned up till later hour than usual
that they might enjoy 1t. But soon af
ter IL nearly oil of them had gone from
. the deck to their staterooms.
! Then came a smell of smoke, and 1t
= pervaded some of the staterooms, bu,
, seemed not to alarm any of the passen.
gers Then it grew stronger. A rusI
was heard on the deck. Officers ere
. shouting orders. The sailors were
{ hurrying to and fro, and some OF The
. more timid passengers opened the doors
OF their staterooms, wondering whal
caused the sudden disturbance.
But there was no disorder, no scream
ing, and some Of the men helped tn,
women and children up, telling then
to hold their breath for an instant, and
they would soon be in fresh air. Wher
the passengers got on deck they wer,
made TO 60 forward, for the smoke wsi
rising in dense clouds from the cook q
galley and the engine room, while from
the great ventilsting tunnels 1t poured
ss though theee were the smoke stacks.
The captain and officers had the crew
under perfec ct discipline, and when the
fourth officer reported that all of the
saloon passengers were out OF theiI
berths and on deck the captain ordered
them to be sent forward.
The City of Montreal had no first
cabin passengers, but carried 223 inter.
mediate and 115 steeraee passengers
and crew of 80 men. The value OF
the City OF Montreal is estimated by
the company at between 100000 and
1890 OOO which Ia fully insured AZ